World War II Contribution to the US Navy’s Fleet
This online video is presented in regard to the Fletcher class Destroyer, a stronger and more agile and more durable ship than those that had gone before. The World War II Fletcher class ship, the Destroyer: Yowza!! History at its best is in this film.
Description: The Fletcher class was a class of destroyers built by the United States during World War II. The class was designed in 1939, as a result of dissatisfaction with the earlier destroyer leader types of the Porter and Somers classes. Some went on to serve during the Korean War and into the Vietnam War.[3] The United States Navy commissioned 175 Fletcher-class destroyers between 1942 and 1944, more than any other destroyer class, and the design was generally regarded as highly successful. Fletchers had a design speed of 38 knots and an armament of five 5″ guns in single mounts with 10 21″ torpedoes in two quintuple centerline mounts.[4] The Allen M. Sumner and Gearing classes were Fletcher derivatives. The long-range Fletcher-class ships performed every task asked of a destroyer, from anti-submarine warfare and anti-aircraft warfare to surface action.[5] They could cover the vast distances required by fleet actions in the Pacific and served almost exclusively in the Pacific Theater of Operations during World War II, during which they accounted for 29 Imperial Japanese Navy submarines sunk.[6][failed verification] In a massive effort, the Fletchers were built by shipyards across the United States and, after World War II ended, 11 were sold to countries that they had been built to fight against: Italy, Germany, and Japan, as well as other countries, where they had even longer, distinguished careers. Three have been preserved as museum ships in the U.S. and one in Greece.
Here’s the film. I suggest you put it on the full screen setting and settle in. Pop some popcorn, grab a cold beverage and settle in for a good story.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raEtQ3l0dFU
Category: "Your Tax Dollars At Work", Historical, Navy, War Stories
Thank, Ex! Great ships, great story.
I did Reserve time on the USS Haynsworth DD 700 (Sumner class) out of Galvaston TX. The keenest thing that I got a kick out of was the head had what looked like a horse trough with walls separating the toilet seats and flowing water which exited at one end so if you were sitting up stream, you could light a toilet paper ball and it would travel down stream which was done when the stalls were occupied. Happened when I was taking a dump, no shit.
Holy flaming asshole, Batman!
Great video, Ex.
My personal favorite Fletcher-class is USS The Sullivans, named after the five Sullivan brothers who perished early in the war aboard USS Juneau. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sullivan_brothers
Really incredible that there are still ships from back then in active service to this day. In fact, it looks as if the Russians have a salvage ship Kommuna that’s been in service since the days of the Czar! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_salvage_ship_Kommuna
It’s amazing
You’re quite welcome, all of you!
Good stuff, Ex. This history geek thanks you!
Drachinifel has some good videos showing love for the Fletchers as well. His synopsis of the Battle Off Samar includes a gem about the effectiveness of USS Johnston: “At this point, most of the Japanese fleet became very interested in finding a stretch of ocean that was Johnston-free.”
Great Job Ex. Forgot to add that in on my above Haynsworth comment. Memory is going. Last week I forgot the Alamo, Remember the Alamo. I did the Alamo Schtick a few days ago. Did start taking Prevagen a number of days ago to get the noodle into 2nd gear high.
Go easy on yourself, Jeff.
It ain’t the years, y’know. It’s the mileage.
Excellent destroyer.
I have long been a fan of the Wickess class destroyers from WW1.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wickes-class_destroyer
The fletchers look too big for my taste, but they clearly are a very successful design.
Read the “Destroyermen” series by Taylor Anderson.
Among my future projects is USS Walker in her mid-‘43 configuration.
Badass as all hell. Lubs me some videos of Floating Artillery Platforms, bringing the damn damn down on bad guys.
Tanks Ex!